Yoga Mala: the Continuity of Union
Do you know what a mala is?
It’s a necklace, strung with flowers or beads. And it’s a metaphor, an image of the essence of hatha yoga. A string to bind all of the beads together, with each bead providing structure and substance along the way. This is yoga.
The string is the breath. The breath links one posture to the next. Vinyasa, the linking breath and motion between each posture. Each posture in the sequence is a bead, a definite point along the fluid structure.
The art of yoga or ‘union’ is the search for connection…
…the yoke between the human and the divine. We can also see this in terms of reconnecting with ourselves. Yoga brings our awareness back into our motions, back into the body and the present moment. It is an art of consciousness, flowing from one position into the next, while remaining singular, a dance of unity.
The Yoga mala is the means of this connection
The postures show us how to refine our awareness of the subtle motions and positions of the body. The breath not only links one posture to the next, it also brings the consciousness in contact with the unconsciousness. We are always breathing, and our breath influences our brainwaves. When we breath consciously, we slow the brainwaves and synchronize different parts of the brain. This benefit extends far past the physical practice, reducing stress, focusing the mind, and bringing more of our being into alignment in every aspect of life.